Attys



L. F. STAFFORD.

BUMPER FOR VEHCLES.

APPLlCATION FlLED ocT.27. 1919.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

NVEHTOR LEWIS I". STAFFORD UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IBUMPEIR. :Fon VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Au 3, 1520.

Application filed October 27, 1919. Serial No. 333,434.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs F. STAFFORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Bumpers for Vehicles, of whichthe following is a specification.

My' present invention has relation to bumpers orprotectors for motordriven and other Vehicles for use in protecting the front and rearportions thereof from being damagedby collisions. In devices of thischaracter it'has heretofore been the practice to support the bumper bymeans of side-brackets that are attached directly to the frame ofthe-'chassis or to extended ends of the longitudinally clisposed sidespring` of the vehicle. This structure unavoidably limits t desirableresiliency by compelling the use of a heavierweight of metal to securethe necessary strength. With my hereinafter described Construction theweight or gage of metal may be less than heretofjore employed,

and, nevertheless, the strength and 'esilency of the structure muchincreased. Also, when the chassis france terminates under the body andadistance back of the ends thereof, as in some of the recent types ofmotor vehicles, the side brackets above-mentioned must be elongated inorder to position ,the transverse portion of the bumper beyond thetransverse plane of the front and rear ends of the mud-guards andWheels.` This construction is subject to intense vibration atits outerend during driving over rough roads whichis'liable to loosen the boltsor other means by which the bumper is secured to the vehicle, therebyrendering the device useless for the purpose for which it is installed.It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a' bumper that iseffectively supported at a third point or points, or a pointintermediate the planes where the sidebrackets areattached to thechassis frame in such a manner as to secure the additional is dependablein its operation. Further objects will be apparent to others after anunderstanding of my invention is had, and I prefer to accomplish 'thesedivers objects in substantally the manner and by the means hereinafterdisclosed. e e

Reference will now be had tothe accompanymg drawings forming a portionof this specification, in which-- Figure l is a plan of my improvedbumper 'for vehicles, showing the same installed upon the chassis of amotor vehicle, the contguouspo'rtions of the vehicle body being removedfor the purpose of Simplicity.

Fig. 2 is a detail view oi' the clip employed in supporting and securingthe intermediate portion of the bumper to the vehicle.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3, Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

In the drawings similar reference characters have been employed todesignate the same parts throughout the divers figures, and by referringto Fig. 1, it will be seen that the chassis comprises longitudinallydisposed parallel side sills 5, 5, the forward portions 6 whereof, atapproximately the transverse plane of the radiator or slightly in frontof the axle, are bent so as to converge toward each other and meet atthe central longitudinal plane of the chassis frame, thereby providing aplatform for the forward springs 7. These spring-s are secured to theirrespective platform sills 6 by means of clips or yokes 8 that embracethe superimposed leaves of the springs and clamp themto the usual bottomtie plate, and in assembling my bumper with the chassis, I prefer tosubstitute a specally constructed tie-plate, as hereinafter will morefully appear.

My improved bumper, preferably, comprises a length of strap metal ofsuitable gage and width that is bent so that its end portions providelongitudinal parallel arms 10, 10, spaced apart substantially the widthof the frame of the chassis and are bolted, or otherwise suitablySecured to the parallel portions of side-sills 5 thereof. Forward ofarms 10, the metal piece is curved outwardly in long sweeps 11, 11,extending in opposite directions beyond the planes of the front wheelsof the vehicle where the metal piece is given hair-pin bends 12, 12. The

shock-receiving portion 13 of the metal piece between and' connectingthese hair-pin bends is substantially straight, and is given slght bendeor sweeps where the same `it is desirable to support the structure atamerges into the bends 12. Owing to the distance from this straight orshock-receiving portion 13 to the points of attachment at the extremeends of the parallel` arms 10 (particularly in the types of motorvehicles for t v of the main portion of the bumper, as illust'rated inFig. 1 of the drawings.

suitable yokes 16, 16, ofsubstantially inverted U-shape are Secured toends 15 of the bow-shaped supporting piece by rivets 16 where theycontact or engage sweeps 11, and said yokes extend down upon theopposite surface of sweeps 11 while the lower ends of the arms of theyoke are connnccted by bolts, ;17 to prevent the accidental displacementof the two strap pieces, but per mitting of a slight relative movementbetween the parts, as will beunderstood.

In. order to connect the bow-shaped supporting pieces 14, 15, to thechassis of the Vehicle, I have provided a device which is adaptecl to besubstituted for the tie-plates .that coperate with clips 8 for holdingthe leaves of the springs, as hereinbefore mentioned. These devices,preferahly, comprise plates 18, 18, that are fiat, and substantiallycorrespond with the usual tieplates except that they are extended attheir forward ends into inverted substantially i U-shapedor hookedportions 19, 19, and deflected slightly toward each other so that thechannels 20 or seats between the arallel members of the U will be in aposition to receive and fit the adjacent portions of the bow-shaped,supporting-piece M. Bolts 21 connect the lower pertions of the U afterpiece l l has .been positioned, and are adapted toclamp the latterfirmly in position.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, itwill be seen that I have provided a bumper for vehicles that has athree-point mounting upon the chassisof the vehicle that obviates thenecessityor providing` additional braces directly upon the long armslOof 'the structure where :the framework of the chassisterminates any'consderable distance back of the transverse plane in which it isdesirable or necessary to position theshoek-receiving portion or memberofthe bumper strueturefi 'It will beobvious that the actual shape ordesign of the bumper or shock-reeeiving elements may be modified, as forexample, .the bowed support1ng-piece ll-+15 may be a complete ellipse.continuous, as indicated by the broken lines x in Fig. 1 of the drawingsI therefore, desire it understood that all such changes are'eontemplated within the scopo of the appended claims.

hat I claim as new is:-

1. i\ bumper for motor vehicles comprising a horizontall disposed memberarranged transversely ot the vehicle, arms connecting said member to thelongitudinal side-sills of the vehicle chassis, the outer portion otsaid arms curved outwardly a wa v from each other, and a su inglementarytransverse and horizontal member Secured to the vehicle chassisindcpendently ott the means for sccuring said arms and supporting the'forward portion ot said structure.

2. i bumper for motor vehicles, comprising a horizontally disposedmember, the end portions whereof are bent inwardly and rearwardly toprovide arms, means i'or securing the ends of said arms to the vchicle,a supplementary member connected to the hctore mentioned structure, andmeans tor securing said supplementary member eentrally of the vehicle.

A bunper i'or motor vehicles comprising a shock-receiving piece, armsextendcd therefrom and secured to the vchicle, a supplementary fiexiblemeniher, means connecting the ends of said supplementarv member to thebeforementioned structure, and devices 'er connecting the supplemcntarymember to the vehicle.

A bumper for motor vehicles coinprising a horizontally disposed member,the end portions whereo are bent inwardly and rearwardl to provide arms,means for securing the ends ot said arms to the vehicle, a supplementarymenber the ends whereoi are connected to the hetorementioned structure,and means 'tor securing said supplementary member centrally ot thevehicle.

5. A bumper 'tor motor vehicles comprising` a horizontally disposcllmeniher, the end portions wher-cof are bent inwardly and rearwardly toprovide substantially pa'allcl supporting arms, means for securing theends of said arms to the vehicle, a supplementary member oppositelydisposed with respect to said first-mentioned member, and the endswhereot are connected to the heforementioned structure, and means forsecui-ing the central portion of said supplementary member centrally ofthe vehicle.

6. The eombination with the chassisframe of a vehicle, and springscarried thereby, of a shock-receiving piece having members extendedtherefrom and Secured to the chassis-frame and means tor supporting thelast-mentioned structure intermediate the places where said members areSecured to the vehicle; said means including thedevices that secure saidsprings to said frame.

7. The combination with the chassisframe of a vehicle, and springscarried thereby, of a shock-receiving piece having members extendedtherefrom and Secured to the chassis-i rame, a supplementary memberconnected to the last-mentioned structure, and means for securing saidsupplementary member to the chassis-frame and comprising the elementsthat secure said springs to said frame.

S. The combinaton with the chasss- :frame of a vehicle, springs, anddevices securng said springs to said frame, of a shock-receiving elementhaving lateral members that are Secured to said frame, and asupplementary member connected to the last mentioned structure andSecured to the frame by said spring-securing devices.

9. The combination With a vehicle frame and springs, of a bumpercomprising an outwardly bowed shock-receiving member, arms conneetingsaid member to said vehicle frame, an oppositely bovved supplemental-ymember slidably connected to said arms, and common devices for securingsaid springs and supplementary member to said rame.

10. Thecombinaton With a 'vehicle-frame and springs, of a bumpercomprising an outwardly bowed shock-receiving member, arms connectingsaid member to said vehicle-frame, an oppositely bowed Supplementarymember slidably connected to said arms, clips connecting said springs tosaid frame, and hooks eXtended from said clips :1 01- supporting saidsupplementary member intermediate said arms.

11. In a bumper for motor vehicles, a shock receivng piece, membersextended rearwardly therefrom and Secured to the vehicle, in combinationWith a ,Supplementary supporting structure suitably connected to theaforesaid structure and connected to the vehicle body at a pointindependent of the means for securing said first mentioned structure tothe vehicle.

12. In a bumper *for motor vehicles, a shock-receivng pece, membersextencled rearwardly therefrom and secured to the vehicle, incombination With a supplementary supporting structure consisting of ahorizontally yieldable metal strap suitably connected to the aforesaidstructure and connected to the vehicle body at a point independent ofthe means for securing said first mentioned structure to the vehicle.

13. In a bumper for motor vehicles, a shock-receiving piece, membersextended rearwardly therefrom and Secured to the vehicle, in combinationWith a supplementary integral supporting and Shock-receiving structureconnected at opposte locations to said first-mentioned shock-receivingpiece and connected to the vehicle body at a point independent of theneans for securing said first-mentioned structure to the vehicle.

14. A bumper for motor vehicles comprising a piece of strap-metal bentto provide a shock-receiving piece, arms extended rearvvardly from saidshock-receiving piece and Secured to the vehicle, and a seconclary pieceof strap-metal connected to the firstmentioned piece and supporting thesame, and connected directly to the vehicle independent of said arms.

15. A bumper for motor vehicles comprising a shock-receiving piece Witharms extended rearwardly from the ends thereof for attachment to thevehicle, and a Supplementary member extending and having attachmentdirectly between the Shock-receiving piece and a portion of the vehiclebetween and forward of the points of attachment of the before mentionedarms; said members consisting of strap-metal vertically disposed Wherebya cantaliver support is provided for maintaining the bumper in positionand against impacts received thereby.

Signed at Chicago, County of Cook, and State of Illinois, this 22nd dayof October,

LEWIS F. STAFFORD. VVitnesses:

FRANK P. ILLsLnY, E. K. LUNDY, Jr.

